Taking The Scenic Route

A few months ago, my partner and I went on a trip down south to visit family. It was supposed to be an easy drive down, sticking to the highway and arriving by late afternoon. To say it didn’t go to plan is an understatement! Next thing you know, we’re driving up some narrow road up the steepest mountain range with no phone reception, no idea where we are, and daylight fading fast. It turns out that we had chosen another route on our digital maps without even realising it, and had driven the scenic route.

We finally arrived safely at our destination with hardly any fuel left, the sun had gone, and we were both absolutely exhausted from the long, somewhat challenging drive, but we would have done it again in a heartbeat. We loved it so much that we did actually drive that route again the second time we drove down to visit!

The whole experience got me thinking. This is exactly like life. Life is a journey from one destination to another. Most people cruise along the highway, which is the easiest and fastest route. Some people just drive straight from A to B. Some people make a few stops along the way and enjoy the drive, seeing all of the towns and cities along the way. And some people take the challenge of driving the scenic route.

But what does choosing the scenic route mean?

You are choosing to differ from the ‘norm’.

It’s so much easier to travel the same direction as everybody else. It’s more convenient as it costs less time, money, and energy. But the thing about following what everyone else is doing, is that you have to deal with all of the strains that come along with it. The hustle bustle of the busy highway traffic, driving through all of the towns along the way and stopping at all of the traffic lights, stop signs, merging lanes, road works, just to name a few!

Following the crowd means doing what everyone else is doing, and sticking to the same rules, routine, and all travelling in the same direction. It’s so easy to get lost in the crowd, to be overwhelmed by the busyness of it all, and to feel as though everything looks and feels the same. It’s not long before it becomes just a long, boring drive.

When you take the scenic route, you are choosing to separate yourself from the crowd. You are choosing to take yourself out of your comfort zone, leaving behind the most convenient option, and instead taking the path less travelled. Sometimes this is the hardest thing to do – choosing to live your life differently than everybody else.

You are choosing to take your time and enjoy the drive.

In a world where everything runs on time frames and schedules, choosing to be more flexible with your time isn’t always an easy task. Travelling the scenic route always takes more time. There are so many highs and lows and twists and turns, but you know you’re in for that as soon as you decide to take that exit from the highway.

To get the most out of the journey, you need to make sure you slow down and enjoy the views. Stop for a moment and look at the wonder and beauty around you – it’s called a “scenic route” for a reason! Don’t fall back into just going from one destination to another. Give your journey meaning, adventure, and spontaneity. Make the most of every single moment, every view, every turn, because once you reach your destination, the journey ends.

You are choosing to always look for the views.

When life becomes mundane, everything feels the same. All of the trees look the same, all of the roads look the same, all of the cars look the same, and it you get tired of the drive because there’s nothing new. Sometimes you get frustrated when you look around and other people are talking about how wonderful things are for them, and it makes you feel even worse that your life doesn’t have as much beauty as theirs. But here’s the secret… Those people always keep their eyes open, searching for the views. Looking for the beauty in everything.

When you take the scenic route, it’s all about your perspective and your perception of your surroundings. You need to choose to focus your eyes on all of the wonderful things you will come across. Because it takes only one moment to either see the sight of a lifetime, or to completely miss it because you were too busy trying to see what’s ahead. Make the choice to always look around you in each moment of your journey, and find the positivity and beauty in the things and the people around you, rather than getting too caught up trying to see what life has coming for you next.

You never know what’s around the bend.

When we were in the middle of nowhere up some mountain range with no phone reception and light fading, I began to panic because I had no idea where we were, and I couldn’t stop thinking that if anything happened we wouldn’t even be able to call for help. Sometimes in life, we can feel the same way. We get so worried about where we are on our journey in comparison to everyone else, and can feel pretty isolated and alone.

That’s where it’s important to remember that you will never know what is around the corner, so all you can do is learn to enjoy the drive for what it is – an adventure. Dictionary.com literally defines “adventure” as “an exciting or very unusual experience. Participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises. A bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.“ The whole point is not to know what’s coming. That’s what makes it an adventure! Taking the scenic route means embracing the uncertainty of it all, and enjoying the twists and turns and thrill of the drive.

You need to make sure you’re prepared for the journey.

Adventures are always much more enjoyable when you are prepared for what is to come. For example, when your car has a full tank you aren’t as limited to how far you can drive without a fuel station or stopping. The more that you prepare for the journey ahead, the more you can get out of it.

This means taking whatever steps are necessary to keep your tank full, making sure that you are strong in yourself and centred for those times that life gets rough and knocks you off balance. This means always looking after yourself, ensuring that you are operating at your prime to get the most out of your experience. It means investing time, money and energy into maintaining a happy mind, happy body, and happy spirit to keep you strong and able for the long journey ahead. It is so important to look after the vehicle we have been given to make this journey with – our bodies! It’s time we start checking our own water levels, fuelling up with the energy we need to keep moving forward, and having the tools we need to help heal ourselves along the way so we don’t break down.

Grasping the concept of taking the scenic route allows us to go through this life knowing that there will be many challenges and making sure we are prepared for them, learning to make the most out of every moment and finding the beauty and positivity in all things around us, taking our time and choosing not to hurry and rush through life but rather slow down and enjoy each step of the way.

If you would like to take the scenic route in your life, here are some steps I encourage you to take:

• Start preparing yourself for the journey. Find out what your body needs to stay happy and healthy and chase these things! Find ways to develop yourself into someone stronger, happier, healthier, and more ready for the many hurdles you will come across in your journey through life.

• Practice looking for the views. Take just two short minutes at any time to take in what is around you and appreciate the moment you are in. Taking time to see the beauty in things makes each moment so much more meaningful, and you will find so many hidden seeds of happiness around you to take and plant in your own life.

• Be 100% your most authentic self, and if that means you stick out in a crowd, so be it! Getting the most out of this life is hard to do when you’re constantly wearing different masks for different people to keep everyone happy. It’s time to put away the costumes and disguises and start living life as the REAL you. Choose to differ from the crowd!

• Slow down your busy life and appreciate the little things. Instead of saying “I’m too busy” or “I have too much going on at the moment,” find what your priorities are and focus on them. Only take on what you need to, but don’t let yourself become so overburdened that you can’t even take the time to stop and breathe and enjoy the view. Take a few minutes out of your day to text someone and let them know you’re thinking of them. See your family, friends or loved ones. Go to that movie. Listen to that song until it’s finished. TAKE YOUR TIME. You only have the one journey – make it count.

I’m preparing myself for my adventurous journey ahead at the moment by constantly working on self-development and learning to manage everything in my life so that I have my balance even when it gets rough. It’s all about learning, and I still have a long way to go, but I choose to take the scenic route. To enjoy each step I take, to focus more on my journey rather than everybody else’s, and to be honest and open about who I am and what I want to get out of this life, because I only get one.

I once wrote a song a few years ago, and I found it recently and realised how far I’ve come knowing that this now relates to my life quite well:

“Finding your own path is harder and longer, but that’s the way that I choose to go. I choose to build my own road.”

Which road are you taking in your life at the moment?